Florida Recommendations

[rrweather]

Hi guys and girls,

I am heading down to Florida next month on vacation. For the first 5 days, we'll be in Key West. Then we're heading to the Jupiter/West Palm area to visit family. To stay sane around the family, I am going to go dive at least one day. I am about as unfamiliar as it gets with the diving in that area. I have also never done any type of cave diving, as I live in Northern California. My question is are there any caves in that area? If not, any other good dive spots in the area? Lastly and most importantly, any dive shops in the area that do some kind of intro to cave diving? As stated, I have zero experience in caves and I am not looking to do some kind of extremely technical dive. In fact, if there were other options in that area besides caves (and the ocean) I am open to suggestions. I just figured that if there was a location close that offers some kind of new experience, I would love to give it a try. Worst case, I will just go dive the Jupiter area but if there is something else close, I would like to know about it. I am scouring the internet looking for info but I would rather hear input from those that know. Thanks for the help.

 

[PerroneFord]

There are no caves in the area.

ALL cave diving is extremely technical and requires specialized gear and training. Please stay out of any caves.

 

[scblade27]

Cavern and Cave diving is a lot of fun, but takes serious commitment and gear considerations. You can dive caverns with open water gear but not caves, you should take a course before you think about doing either. Unfortunately there is nothing in that area, the closest spring is roughly 3 hours away, the really cool springs are about 5 or 6 hours away. Have fun on your trip, there is a lot of pretty diving in that area.

 

[H3LlIoN]

How about treasure hunting?

Coin jewelry, a shipwreck treasure found in Jupiters ship wreck: Treasure diving

 

[sskasser]

Jupiter and West Palm is home to some fantastic reef and wreck diving. There are several excellent charter boats in the area that will put you on some beautiful sites. Other than the caves further north (lots of training and equipment expense) or Key Largo, this is my favorite area to dive and where I usually take students and visitors.

Feel free to PM me for specifics (I don't check here as often as I'd like!).

 

[Cave Bum]

I'll echo the other cave divers above. Cavern and cave diving is an advanced form of technical diving and requires both advanced training and a commitment to training and gear purchase. It is not something to be undertaken "because you have a day free and are going to be in the area". (BTW, there really isn't any cave or cavern diving around Jupiter, FL)

Having said that, if you decide you're interested in learning to cavern or cave dive, you'll find it's one of the most rewarding courses you'll ever take. One of the most frequent comments instructors hear from alumni of these courses, even from open water instructors, tech divers and wreck divers, is that after completing even just the cavern course (the first step in a 4 part progressive certification) they couldn't believe how much better their buoyancy, trim and overall dive performance was. They report that the skills learned here vastly improved all other forms of their diving.

There are some great recreation dives around Jupiter. I hope you get to enjoy them. Please stay out of the caves until you get training.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

There are no caves in the Jupiter/West Palm Beach area. Try Jupiter Diver Center in Jupiter, they have daily dive boats, two tanks in the morning and single tanks in the afternoon.

Here's a link: Jupiter Dive Center, Scuba diving lessons at a PADI 5 Star facility, daily scuba diving trips in Jupiter, Florida.

Just be aware, diving in that area is on the more advanced side of open water --it's not technical by any stretch, but these are dives that are a bit beyond caribbean resort diving.

Jeff

 

[mkutyna]

You can dive some caverns with open water gear but not caves,

Fixed that for you.

 

[rrweather]

Thanks for the information. Just to clarify, I was not planning on renting some tanks and heading into the nearest cave. Not sure if that is how it came off. I know better than to assume my gear and knowledge/experience level are prepared for cave diving. I was not trying to say that since I'd be in the area for a day, I would try to become a cave diver in a day. My plan, if it was possible (which it sounds like it is not in that area) was to find a reputable dive shop that specialized in something other than wrecks/reefs. I've never been in any of the freshwater locations you read about in dive magazines. I have seen shops/locations advertising an intro to cavern diving class so that is what I had in mind. Either way, it seems like there is nothing in the area so I will stick with Jupiter Dive Center. Thanks again for the information.

 

[ludawson]

Ocean Quest Scuba out of Riviera Beach Marina / Palm Beach is a great dive boat that will put you on some great reefs or wrecks. Very attentive, great group of people. Hope you enjoy.